RST Chair Message
A Successful Philosophy
Welcome to the first edition of our pänui for
2013. I hope everyone has had a good start to the
New Year. Since the last newsletter there have
been a range of events and foci for our business
units and our iwi.

I

n December many from throughout the motu gathered
for our Annual General Meeting held in Tokoroa. It was a
warm, sunny day which was matched by the tone of the hui.
Feedback from those who attended revealed a great sense
of pride in the strong results and achievements of our iwi
in the 2011/2012 financial year. Highlights of the past year
included the settlement of our historic Treaty of Waitangi
claim and the 25th anniversary of the formation of the
Raukawa Trust Board. Raukawa also reported a healthy profit
from our commercial company Raukawa Iwi Development
Ltd, part of which will fund marae, education and kaumätua
grants. Over time, the amount that the company returns to
iwi members will grow, as our economic base and financial
position strengthens.
For our iwi, 2012 marked a year of momentous progress.
However, that is just the beginning as we enter the postsettlement phase of our development,
where our considerable energies
and abilities will be channelled
towards building a vibrant future.
For those who have not had
a chance to read the annual
report, a copy can be viewed
at www.raukawa.org.nz
In the following pages you
will read of work that has
started this year, as well as
some developments
in late 2012. This
included meeting
Crown
Ministers to
sign three
further

Ministerial Accords with the
Government in Wellington last
December.
The Accords were signed with
David Carter, the Minister of
Primary Industry, and Phil
Heatley, the Minister of Energy
and Resources and Minister
of Housing, and are designed
to strengthen the working
relationship with Raukawa
to collectively advance the
needs of our iwi members. The
signing ceremony was a chance to challenge the Crown
to show real commitment to working in partnership with
Raukawa. It was a challenge well received by the Crown.
Last year, as noted above, we marked the 25th anniversary
of the formation of the Raukawa Trust Board. There has been
much progress since then. Today the philosophy, the tikanga
and kawa that ensured the success of the RTB continues, but
in a new form. We have improved our governance to reflect
the dynamic and diverse iwi that we are today.
We have matured to become an iwi that is a leader in
delivering successful business units, social services, major
environmental projects and award-winning te reo Mäori
educational initiatives. Raukawa now employs over 90 staff.
We have a commercial company managing investments in
excess of $90 million.
At the recent hui of the RST the process to begin the transfer
of Raukawa fisheries assets and to wind up the Raukawa Trust
Board as approved by uri in 2009 has begun. In coming
months we will consult with iwi on the final stages of winding
up the RTB and absorbing its remaining assets into the
Raukawa Settlement Trust structure.
This final stage will complete the transition plan that was also
agreed to in 2009. The end result will be a streamlining of our
structure, while retaining the philosophies that helped us to
reach this point.
Further information on these hui will be made available in the
coming months.
Finally, I urge you to read the stories in this, your pänui.
Be encouraged by the progress being made by you, with you,
for you, for Raukawa.

am excited by the opportunities we have before us
in the coming year. All our team at Raukawa have
had time to pause and share time with whänau before
returning refreshed to focus on the next 12 months.
For me the break was a time to reflect on my tenure as
chief executive for Raukawa. What started as a short
term contract in 2011 grew into a full time role through
some of the most exciting developments in the tribe’s
recent history.
It has been an honour and privilege for me to have
played a part in working for Raukawa to achieve the
momentous milestones it has achieved in recent
years. I will remain committed and passionate about
continuing the gains and progress of Raukawa up until
the conclusion of my contract in June this year.

These include the completion of our Raukawa Fisheries
Plan by our Environment Group, as well as Hearing
Clinics that strive to improve the quality of life for our
whänau and community.
Our business this year remains the same, to provide
you with excellent service and leadership in the areas
that you have mandated us to do so. At the micro
level, Health, Education, Environment, Youth, and the
provision of Social Services are all key ingredients that we
are focussing on throughout the year. Coupled with our
planned restructure for our Governance team, improved
gains at a macro level are expected to take effect by
mid-August. I am confident in saying that we can all
look forward to enjoying the benefits of better thinking,
efficient structures, and a workflow that is underpinned
by tika, pono, and aroha.
The future is bright for the Trust and Raukawa whänui.
It does require, however, strong and competent
leadership at the governance and management levels, a
strategic direction that will magnify the quality of life for
our Raukawa uri through the provision of a wide range
of excellent services.
Nä Grant Berghan
CEO

However, my wife and whänau (and indeed my iwi in
Tai Tokerau) have reminded me that there are matters
back home that need attending to. The time has almost
come for me to return home.
It is a difficult decision as Raukawa is entering into an
exciting phase in its post settlement development.
There are some wonderful challenges ahead, and many
green field opportunities to be nurtured.
It is this exciting opportunity that gives me confidence
that there will be excellent candidates eager to apply
for this role, and to step up and continue to drive the
gains achieved to date and to grow and improve the
operations of Raukawa.
June is a way off whänau, so it will remain business as
usual. We have much to do, and as you will note in the
pänui, there have already been major achievements
made.

Te Kakara o te Hinu Raukawa RAUMATI
KOANGA Spring
Summer
2012
20133 3

Election Results
Meet our Trustees
MARAE REPRESENTATIVES
Marae

Representative

Marae

Representative

Aotearoa

Connie Hui

Ruapeka

Wiremu Winika

Parawera

Gaylene Roberts

Tangata

Waimatao Smith

Owairaka

John Edmonds

Täpapa

Jennifer Hughes

Whakamärama

Kataraina Hodge

Ükaipö

Lynn Mott

Mökai

Vanessa Eparaima

Whakaaratamaiti

Elthea Pakaru

Ongaroto

Miriata Te Hiko

Pikitü

Deb Davies

Paparaamu

Laurence Moeke

Mangakaretu

Rina Lawson

Ngätira

Wilfred O’Brien

Rengarenga

Dawn Glen

HAPÜ REPRESENTATIVES
Wähi

Representative

Wharepühunga

Jon Stokes
Vicki Harrison

Te Pae-o-Raukawa

Malvina McKenzie

Te Kaokaoroa-o-Pätetere

Harko Brown
Cheryl Pakuru
Basil Pakaru
Chris McKenzie

BE IN TO WIN!
Update your tribal register details and
you’ll go into the draw to win $100 CASH!
Check your mail box for the forms or call
our free phone number for more details.

Optimising our Governance
Special Resolution Vote
In our last pänui, we talked about some of the measures that we are seeking to introduce to help
refine and optimise our Governance structure. The Raukawa Settlement Trust is keen to ensure that
we have the most efficient structure in place so that we are able to deliver you with the best possible
outcomes. Whether it’s growing assets, protecting our environment or providing scholarships
for our rangatahi, a dynamic governance structure is key. To this end, the Board engaged Ernst &
Young last year to provide professional legal advice on the best structure to move forward, and from
this the Board agreed in principle to move from the current structure of 26 trustees (16 marae and
10 hapü representatives) to a smaller structure comprised of 16 marae representatives. In order for
this to happen, amendments need to be made to the Raukawa Settlement Trust Deed and a special
resolution has to be voted on and approved by 75% of eligible Raukawa uri who cast a vote on the
proposition. The amendments are to be discussed at the next Board meeting (February 27th 2013)
and if approved, voting ballots and accompanying information about the special resolution will be
sent out to uri for ratification via post.
For more information about the special resolution, check out our website www.raukawa.org.nz or
talk with Tömai on 0800 Raukawa.

4

Te Kakara o te Hinu Raukawa RAUMATI
KOANGA Spring
Summer
2012
2013

Trustee Profile
D

Deb Davies: Pikitū Marae Representative

eb hails from Ngäti Huri in Te Waotü in the South
Waikato. Her marae, Pikitü, carries the honour of
being one of the three marae that form the spiritual pou
of Raukawa. The whare tupuna is called Huri after their
eponymous ancestor, and the whare is understood to
have been built in the 1870’s.
This is Deb’s first term as a trustee of the Raukawa
Settlement Trust, and one of her main goals is to ensure
a good flow of communication between her marae, the
Trust, and the wider rohe of Raukawa. Deb, or Debbie
Jean as she is more commonly called at the marae,
brings a wide range of skills to the Trust table. She has
a strong background in accounting, tax, and business
services, and she is also the Managing Director of Deez
Ltd in Taupö.
A proud mother of two beautiful tamariki, Timoti and
Jazmin, Deb pays special tribute to her parents, Sarah
and Eru Simmonds, for instilling in her lifetime values as
they tirelessly dedicated themselves to their whänau and
marae. These values persist, and can be seen not only
in her three brothers, but also in the next generation of
tamariki.

“Thankful” is the keyword
that Deb describes when she
thinks of the being given the
opportunity to represent her
whänau at the Raukawa Board
room, and when asked about
her passion and drive, Deb says,
“I believe my role as the
Pikitü representative is to
ensure Raukawa increase
their asset base. This to
me will ensure that our
mokopuna; kaumätua, kuia and all whänau are
taken care of for the future! My passion is to see our
own people managing their assets competently and
developing a strategic plan for the future. I believe I
am one of many within my whänau who can make a
difference to the future of Raukawa!”
If you would like to contact Deb, then e-mail her at
debdavies@raukawa.org.nz
Nä Tömai Smith
Communications Manager: Corporate Services

essica Samuels connects with Ngätira and Hinerangi Tawhaki marae
in Te Kaokaoroa-o-Pätetere, and she is currently in her third and final
year of studying a Bachelor of Environmental Management & Planning
at Lincoln University in Christchurch. The Raukawa Charitable Trust
offers tertiary education grants to support our rangatahi to pursue
their dreams, and has distributed over $55,000 in education grants in
the last two years alone.
Jess’s degree looks at the environmental, economic and social factors
that make up the world that we live in, and how we can ensure that
our resources and taonga are used in a sustainable way for generations
to come. Despite spending a lot of time in the South Island studying,
Jess continues to make the trek back north to support her rohe. Jess has
worked twice for the Environment Team as an intern, where she works
with Niwa scientists’ on an eel restoration project along the Waikato
River. The project is funded by the Raukawa-Mighty River Power
partnership.
Through gaining her degree, Jess hopes to ensure a healthy, clean,
green environment for all to enjoy. Living so far from home has also
meant high costs and personal sacrifice to pursue her goals.

Jessica Samuels and colleagues working to restore
tuna in the Waikato River.

“Raukawa’s support has enabled me to stress less about my living
costs and I am hugely grateful for the Trust’s continued support in my
efforts towards gaining tertiary education.”
Jess Samuels.

Te Kakara o te Hinu Raukawa RAUMATI
KOANGA Spring
Summer
2012
201355

Fun at Whakamaru

Raukawa Charitable Trust
Staff Retreat

Just before the Raukawa Charitable Trust shut down its offices for the
Christmas break, staff were treated to a fun-filled day at Whakamaru.
Following a karakia to carry us safely on our journey, staff dressed in
colourful and creative costumes, piled onto the bus in Tokoroa and
ventured out for the staff retreat day.

F

irst up on the itinerary was a visit to the Whakamaru Dam where we were given a
grand tour of the powerstation and an amazing insight into power generation on
the Waikato River. We’d like to extend a big thank you to Mighty River Power and
their team of enthusiastic guides for their hospitality on the day.
Next up was a stroll along the Waikato River Trails – what a beautiful way to get up
close and personal with the awa! After a 3km hike along the banks of the Waikato
River, we had a well-deserved rest at the Whakamaru Reserve. This gave opportunity
for Raukawa Historian Nigel Te Hiko to tell us about some of the fascinating Raukawa
histories regarding the Whakamaru area. Thank you Nigel for giving us a glimpse of
the Raukawa of old.
From here we piled back onto the bus and made our way to the final destination in
the Whakamaru Christian Camp. A few months before the retreat, staff were split
into 5 ‘AROHA’ teams to compete in on the day – each team had to come up with
a name and theme starting with one of the letters in the word ‘AROHA’ and as you
may be able to guess from the photos we had Academy Awards, Referees, Officers
of the Law, Hulkawa, and Aztec Atua! At the fortnightly staff meetings leading up
to the retreat day all the teams participated in various (hilarious) challenges, but the
final competitions were saved for the big day. As expected, the competition was
rife with cheating and bribery and our judges had a hard time divvying up points.
Big ups to the Academy Awards who took out the competition! Thank you also to
Raukawa Charitable Trust Chairperson Kataraina Hodge for coming along and being
our judge on the day.
Following a lovely lunch, staff dispersed with full bellies and took part in the various
activities available at the camp – archery, slug guns, kayaking and volleyball to name
only a few. Then the real fun began in the water top town challenge… and it was
here that things got really ugly! What began as an innocent team activity ended
in a full blown water fight and by the end there wasn’t a dry piece of clothing in
sight! We all commend Grant Berghan for being such a good sport and coming out
smiling despite all of the times he got soaked!
Things wrapped up as we journeyed home to Tokoroa after what was a great day for
all. Thank you to all staff who participated and made the day a success – we look
forward to the 2013 staff retreat!
Nä te Staff Retreat Planning Team

6

Te Kakara o te Hinu Raukawa RAUMATI
KOANGA Spring
Summer
2012
2013

How the River creates Partnerships
Ministerial Accords
ur wonderful Member of Parliament for Taupö, Louise
Upston, created bemusement at the most recent
O
Ministerial Accords signing in Wellington by choosing
to attend the pöwhiri at Te Puni Kökiri offices with our
Raukawa röpü! Her fellow parliamentary colleagues
watched with smiles as we entered the large room
where we were greeted with a warm welcome from the
significant Crown team.

Both the acknowledgement of support from our local MP,
and the signing of a further three Ministerial Accords was
a time for reflection on how far Raukawa relationships
have developed with the Crown. As mentioned in
previous pänui, the Ministerial Accords provide a clear and
enduring framework within which we as Raukawa and the
Crown Ministers (and consequently their Departments)
commit towards working together on the restoration and
protection of the Waikato River.

Department. Working with Local Government is our bread
and butter; however, some greater direction and strategy
from Central Government around key local government
matters will also be a priority.

On December 13th 2012 it was the turn of the new super
Ministries to sign their respective Accords: the Minister
of Primary Industries and the Minister of Energy and
Resources, as well as the Local Government section of the
Department of Internal Affairs. Interestingly, all Ministers
have subsequently changed in these portfolios after the
New Year’s Cabinet reshuffle. The new Ministers are Hon
Nathan Guy, Hon Simon Bridges, and Hon Chris Tremain.

We will be getting on with the action of developing
implementation plans for the 8 Accords we now have – a
fabulous reflection of the hard work and commitment of
our team of Trustees, Staff and CEO. Many thanks to Grant
Kettle – Manager, Strategy and Projects, for leading the
Raukawa negotiations and to Tamara Mutu who provided
great support and skills as we co-negotiated these Accords
with TARIT. We would like to also thank Lucy Te Moana
and her team at Te Puni Kökiri for their on-going support
and commitment.

Given our extensive interests in agribusiness, fisheries,
forestry and in the general primary sector we look forward
to working with the Ministry of Primary Industries. We
know that Energy and Resources continue to be a hot
topic and of great importance to us and we look to
build an enduring relationship with the Minister and the

Where to from here? Well we have only two Accords left to
sign, these are with the Commissioner of Crown Land and
the Minister of Land Information NZ, which we hope to
sign early in this New Year.

Well done team! A great result for our treasured awa!
Nä Steph O’Sullivan
Environment Group Manager

KOANGA Spring
2012
Te Kakara o te Hinu Raukawa RAUMATI
Summer
20137 7

Rangatahi -

Excelling and Excited about Education
Youth Development Team

O

ur children from an early age, more often than not, love to learn;
but somewhere along the track they get disillusioned with school
and the appeal of learning and somehow the desire to be in the
classroom diminishes. We must look at why this happens and look to
re-engage our tamariki so that the connection to learning is a constant
lifelong endeavour. This statement was birthed from a conversation
I had with my uncle Takarihi Temarama (Kaiako for Te Kaokaoroa o
Patetere) when talking about raising the bar for our Raukawa rangatahi
and tamariki. Admittedly, there are several components that attribute to
good educational attendance and excelling academically. It helps that
education is valued in the home, it helps that teachers are passionate
about teaching and deliver the curriculum in a creative and culturally
responsive manner, it helps that the school willingly seeks to engage
with the community and it helps that our rangatahi are personally
inspired to learn and achieve. Our catch cry for one of our truancy
campaigns to encourage rangatahi and whänau around schooling is,
“It’s not okay to miss a day”.If any of our kids are absent for one day
every week their attendance would be sitting on 80%, but the very
minimum for all schools in our rohe is 90% attendance.

So what is Raukawa doing about engaging our rangatahi in
education?
Here are 3 quick facts:

TAHI: Raukawa (under the Social Sector Youth Trials) is one of only 6
contract managers in the country who is responsible for the locally
delivered new Integrated Attendance Service. This service combines
DTS (District Truancy Service) and NETS (Non-Enrolled Truancy Service)
and will operate to a collaborative/community responsive model to
support 20 schools, whänau and our students.
RUA: Raukawa will continue to invest in CLUBS. Clubs is our afterschool mentoring programme. Every Tuesday night about 60 local
rangatahi and 20+ mentors, junior leaders and community volunteers
get together for a fun activity and some intensive mentoring. This
programme provides opportunities to convey critical messages, touch
base with rangatahi around any issues they might be having at school
or at home and of course this opens up the doors to numeracy and
literacy tutoring, health services and whänau support - all of which
contributes to the holistic well-being of our rangatahi, helping them
towards their goals in life and academically.
TORU: The Raukawa Youth Development Team designed, developed
and deliver on the brand new 23-week BMT Training Course
(Broadcasting, Media and Music Technology). Using technology,
media, music production and the radio as a means to attract and
connect with our rangatahi has proven to be very successful. In our
first ever course we had 12 students previously not engaged in ETE
(education, training or employment) come onto the course and all 12
students have now graduated and have been successfully transitioned
onto further training or employment. One student came from a school
where he only had a 24% attendance record and he graduated with
a 99% attendance rate. This is hugely significant! It shows that our
rangatahi can excel and that they can once again be excited about
education.

Raukawa Present at the Rohe Pōtae Inquiry
Treaty Team
In the last pänui, we concentrated upon providing
an update on water rights. In this issue, we will
be delving into the Rohe Pötae Inquiry and the
involvement of Raukawa within that inquiry.

S

tanding in front of a room full of strangers can be difficult
at the best of times. Standing in front of a tribunal eager
to hear what you have to say, a cavalcade of Crown lawyers
and officials intent on catching you out on a stumbled word or
phrase and lawyers spying what you have to say with suspicion
can be downright daunting. This was the scene faced by
Raukawa witnesses who attended the recent Rohe Pötae
hearing.
Hearings within the Rohe Pötae Inquiry began in earnest in
November/December 2012 with the holding of a hearing into
the establishment of the Ohaakï Tapu - Rohe Pötae Compact.
Raukawa kaumätua Toiamoko Manaia and the Treaty team’s
resident historian/ Treaty co-negotiator, Nigel Te Hiko,
presented evidence to the tribunal on behalf of the iwi. Nigel
says “This is an unusual situation for the Tribunal as settled
iwi like Raukawa generally cease participation in the tribunal.”
However, he said Raukawa played an integral role in the
establishment of the Rohe Pötae, it was therefore important for
Raukawa to continue within the tribunal to provide a Raukawa
view of their experiences.
Vanessa Eparaima, Raukawa Settlement Trust Chair states
“One of the most glaring problems that Raukawa has
faced during its Treaty settlement negotiations has been the
argument that we were not recorded as attending Native Land
Court hearings. In effect, to some parties who rely upon these
types of records, we become invisiblised within our own lands.
This inquiry allows us to address this issue by placing our
histories, our voice, on this official record.”

According to Nigel “After
considerable consultation with
the claimants within the Rohe
Pötae, a thematic approach
was adopted by the tribunal
that would inquire into specific
themes of which the first of these
was the Ohaakï Tapu”.
The Ohaakï Tapu – Rohe Pötae
Compact theme examines the
political engagements between
the Crown and iwi and the
agreements made between
both parties since its inception.
Toiamoko states that from a
Raukawa Kaumätua
Raukawa perspective the Ohaakï
Toiamoko Manaia
Tapu finds its genesis not in a
singular agreement that occurred in the late 1800s, but instead can
be traced through a number of arrangements reached between
each of the iwi over the span of generations. His evidence
highlighted the whakapapa connections between each of the
Rohe Pötae iwi groups of which he attributes those connections
to making the Ohaakï Tapu possible. This was a theme taken up
by Nigel in his evidence as he explained “…that the Ohaakï Tapu
negotiations and the Native Land Court hearings into Taupö-nui-aTia and the Rohe Pötae block are all interconnected.”
The Tribunal has now completed hearing the Ohaakï Tapu theme
and will move onto the next in March. The Treaty team is currently
preparing for Raukawa to provide further evidence within the
Tribunal. The hearing will be held at Otawhao Marae, Te Awamutu
on the 8th-12th April 2013. The theme for this hearing will be ‘War
and Confiscation’.
Nä Patricia Cowley
Project Manager: Treaty Team

n review, 2012 was a time of significant changes
within the Raukawa Health and Social Services
Team. We are pleased to say that the team has
worked very hard in delivering dynamic services
across a range of fields. Raukawa continue to provide
our whänau and the wider community with quality
health care and social services. We have 18 services
that all focus on encouraging healthier lifestyles
Our Raukawa Health and Social Services Team.
and greater well-being delivered through a range
of programmes and partnerships. Our staff of over
40 are supportive and friendly, and are based in
Tokerau comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience as
Tokoroa, Te Awamutu, Matamata, and Putaruru. In this edition,
he previously worked with the Waka Taua Wellness Program.
we have highlighted some of the care initiatives that centre on
Wyllie has moved back to Tokoroa after working as a Youth
supporting our Koroua and Kuia.
Tutor in Horowhenua Learning Centre, Levin. His background
includes working with rangatahi to re-engage them back in
In addition to the 18 contracts that we currently hold, we
to education and assisting them to develop a pathway plan to
have successfully gained two Whänau Ora contracts which
further education and employment oppourtunities. Tokerau
have fostered stronger relationships with various stakeholders
and Wyllie will, without a doubt, enhance our service and
within the Raukawa Rohe and the Raukawa Maniapoto Alliance.
bring a new perspective in delivery approach.
Integrated and holistic health care is a core tenet within our
team.
As we move into 2013, I would like to acknowledge the
support from our whänau, Kaumätua and all staff. The Health
I would like to take this oppourtunity to warmly welcome
and Social Services Team look forward to providing you quality
Sandra Monga as our Health Administrator. Sandra is a vibrant,
knowledgeable young lady who brings great value to the
health care and services.
Team. Welcome also to Tokerau Putai and Wyllie Charlie in their
Nä Lulu Williams
new position of Tamariki Rangatahi High Needs Co-ordinators.
Health and Social Services Manager

Living a Healthy Life

Integrated Team Management & Community Outreach Services

O

ur Integrated Team Management & Community Outreach
Services both focus on providing up-to-date information
and education to enable our kaumätua to make wise choices
that support their health and wellbeing. Statistics show that
over half the population between 60 & 70 years old suffer from
some form of hearing loss. With such high numbers, hearing
loss can have a significant impact on living a healthy, sociable,
and independant life.
When Koro Jimmy Claire realised that a hearing device could
help improve his ability to better engage with others, he called
in to see us. Koro Jimmy was diagnosed with having severeprofound loss after having a free screen hearing test. The free
clinic is offered in collaboration with Life Unlimited Hearing
Clinic from Hamilton where Cherry McWha, Hearing Therapist,
visits our Tokoroa and Putaruru offices each month.
Cherry is a dedicated health professional who will evaluate
a person’s hearing by conducting a screen test followed by
a discussion about any hearing difficulties that prop up. She
provides independent information, and will talk to you about
assistive devices and other ways to improve communication.
Cherry suggested an Audioport hearing device to help Koro
Jimmy, and with the assistance of a Raukawa Kaumätua
Medical Grant, Koro Jimmy was fitted with a new device in no
time and is back to chatting with whänau and firends.
Along with our Hearing Clinic, we also hold a monthly Diabetes
Clinic with Sandra Rice and a Heart Failure Clinic with Eileen

10

KOANGA Spring
2012
Te Kakara o te Hinu Raukawa RAUMATI
Summer
2013

Gibbons. Both specialists are from Health Waikato and are based
at Tokoroa Hospital. Their role is to support, mentor and empower
our nurse to advance clinical assessment skills and to facilitate a
better understanding of client care requirements.
If you feel that hearing loss is adversley affecting you, or would
like to know more about our Diabetes and Heart Clinics, then talk
with Donna on 0800 RAUKAWA. For more information about our
Raukawa Kaumätua Medical Grants then talk with Ashley on our
free phone number.

etting upright and active is a key component towards a healthier lifestyle. We support our Koroua and Kuia with health and
awareness education, as well as fun physical activities that help the body and mind stay sharp. So if you’re 50 years and over and
reside in the Tokoroa and Putaruru area, register with us today to enjoy great activities like Upright & Active and Water Woggles.
The Water Woggles classes are run in collaboration with the South Waikato District Council, and are a fun way to exercise in the pool
every Wednesday at 9:30am at the South Waikato Indoor Pools. Exercise at your own pace during the 1 hour sessions with aquatic
workouts that range from low to high intensity. Each class is run by qualified pool instructors and is an awesome way to start off the
day. Exercising in a pool is a good first step towards improving fitness and one really good thing about woggling is that it is low to nil
impact on joints; so it is really good for our bodies, as opposed to the hard jarring when running.
If you prefer to keep your feet dry, then keep in shape with Upright & Active. Enjoy great music with a Pacific Island flavour, fantastic
instructors, and low to moderate workouts with the team at the South Waikato Pacific Islands Community Services (SWPICS). Classes
run for 1 hour at the SWPIC Centre on Maraetai Rd, and the sessions have a small break in between. Charlie Stowers and Jeanie Te
Rore will have you moving to the groove in no time. Our Upright & Active sessions have started so join up today and get active.
If you would like to know more about our services, or about our health provider partners, then talk with Hone on 0800 RAUKAWA.
We would like to acknowledge Akarere Henry - Manager of SWPICS for her support with this kaupapa.
Nä John Hemara-Wahanui, Koroua Kuia Co-ordinator: Health & Social Services

Left: Hone, Jeanie and Charlie.

Raukawa and SWPIC whänau after an energitic workout at the SWPIC centre.

Left: Ake Petero and Teetu Teao.

Self-Help tips for Arthritis Sufferers
Kaumātua Mirimiri Services

M

ore than half a million New Zealanders will be
affected by arthritis at some time in their life. In fact,
there are over 1000 children and young people under the
age of 20 years old affected by arthritis in New Zealand
at any one time. So if you are feeling the aches and pains
of this mäuiui, then here are some simple techniques
that you can follow from Katrina Middlemiss-Vano, our
qualified Mirimiri therapist. Katrina offers mirimiri services
to kaumätua at the Tokoroa Hospital, such as Reiki,
Myofascial release, and Muscle Energy technique. Before
using these tips, always seek independent medical advice.

Mirimiri Therapist: Katrina Middlemiss-Vano

1. On waking, lie on your back and slowly/gently flex and
relax your fingers and toes several times to help alleviate
small joint pain.

4. For the shoulder, hold your arm up to the ceiling and
lift your shoulder joint off the bed. Repeat this motion
several times.

2. Next, rotate, flex, and relax your ankles and wrists.
Repeat several times, and also in the opposite way.

5. Finally, slowly flex the head and neck area by turning
the head slowly side to side. Then point your chin to
your chest and then chin to ceiling, then ear to
shoulder. Repeat this three step sequence several
times.

he development of the Raukawa Environmental
Management Plan is well underway and we have had an
AMAZING response from Raukawa whänau into this project.
Stage 1 of the plan development is complete; we had a great
turn out at our workshops.
At the workshops we asked whänau to step back into the
shoes of their tüpuna and take a walk somewhere in the rohe
and describe what they saw, felt, heard, smelt, and tasted.
Abundance was the word that came up a lot in the stories
shared. Workshop participants discussed the abundance of kai,
strength of wairua, ready access to the ngahere, freshwater,
harakeke and other material, always lots of people, laughter,
singing, karakia, fresh and clean environments and thriving
and healthy whänau. We then took the same walk in our own
shoes today and things were very different – restricted access,
paru waters, scarce native bush, disconnection from marae
and whänau, rubbish, pollution – these were the things that
whänau talked more about on their hïkoi in the present. As you
may have guessed, we then took the same walk with whänau
in the future – in the shoes of our mokopuna – this was a much
brighter picture indeed and one filled with hope. One of the
young men at the workshops reflected on this and said that
success would be able to say to our mokopuna “we did this for
you!” and be proud of that statement. The Environment Group
is humbled and grateful for all the körero shared as part of the
workshops so far.

New Team Members
I

n addition to another productive year work wise, we
also welcomed two new members to our team late
in 2012. We are delighted to welcome Phil Wihongi
(Ngäti Hine/Ngäpuhi) and Johlene Kelly. Both Phil and
Johlene come with significant areas of expertise and
experience. Phil has a background in environmental
and cultural design and planning while Johlene has a
science background with a focus on freshwater ecology
and ecosystems with additional skills in policy and plan
development, and community environmental projects.
Phil will be working in the Strategy and Projects team,
with a focus on our Sites of Significance project, the
Waikato River Authority funded wetland restoration
projects and assisting with the development of the Joint
Management Agreements with local councils. Johlene
is well underway in the Policy and Planning team,
with her focus on the development of the Raukawa
Environmental Management Plan, the Upper River
Integrated Management Plan and support with other
key Raukawa environmental projects where her skills
come in handy!!

Nä Steph O’Sullivan
Environment Group Manager

12
12 TeTeKakara
KakaraooteteHinu
HinuRaukawa
Raukawa

RAUMATI
KOANGASummer
Spring 2012
2013

Workshop participants work out how long each item takes to decay
We are in the middle of our Stage 2 workshops now and in
these we are starting to get into a bit more detail and some
challenging discussions about the current environmental issues
we face within the rohe.
In mid-January we also went on a hïkoi to some important sites
of significance within the rohe. With 52 people attending, the
hïkoi was a huge success! We were fortunate to hear körero
about a number of landmarks within the rohe such as Te Pou o
Te Ihingärangi, Te Pou o Motai and Te Waihou Spring. It was an
excellent day had by all.
Nä Naomi Simmonds
Advisor Policy and Planning: Environment Group

Key Updates
•

The team were delighted to finish 2012 with
a completed Raukawa Fisheries Plan and
significant progress on the Upper Waikato
River Fisheries regulations… a huge effort by
Jenni Fitzgerald, her team and the Raukawa
Fisheries Reference Group – tau kë!

•

Our Waikato River Authority funded projects
are all progressing well, with the Raukawa
Environmental Plan, the Fisheries work, our
Sustainable Agriculture project all well underway
and with Phil Wihongi joining our team we can
now progress our Wetland Restoration projects

•

Jess Samuels, our Raukawa intern who is featured
on page 5, had another great year at Lincoln
University. We were able to secure summer
holiday work with NIWA for Jess, so that she
could continue her great work on the eel
research project that was initiated last summer.
Well done to Jess and thanks to Mighty River
Power for their support!